×

The Awards Season Gamble: Why Festival Strategy Can Make or Break Oscar Dreams

By Clayton Davis Aug 1, 2025 | 12:40 PM

For Hollywood studios eyeing Oscar gold, deciding where to premiere a film is one of the season’s most crucial strategic choices. The right debut at the right festival can generate months of positive buzz; the wrong one can torpedo an awards campaign before it begins. “It’s a calculated gamble every time,” says a studio executive […]